Moissanites have been in the news lately as an alternative to diamonds and as gemstones in their own right. For many people, this leads to confusion because they don’t know the difference between a diamond and moissanite. While a diamond is more traditional, moissanite engagement rings are quickly gaining popularity for their exceptional sparkle and lower price. They are also conflict-free, making them an excellent ethical choice. But what is a moissanite? Is it worth it to buy moissanite earrings or invest in a moissanite engagement ring?
What is Moissanite?
Natural moissanite is a silicon carbide crystal that is incredibly rare. It was initially discovered by the chemist Henri Moissan in Arizona at a meteorite site. Almost all natural moissanite comes from meteorites. Although it resembles diamonds, the structure is different; diamonds are formed from carbon, not silicon carbide. Unfortunately, although some moissanite has since been discovered in other locations, it has only been in minute amounts. Over time, scientists discovered that moissanite had many characteristics similar to diamonds, including strength, hardness, sparkle, and fire, but its scarcity means it can’t be used for anything.
The Created Moissanite
All of the naturally occurring moissanite discovered isn’t enough to make a set of jewelry, but researchers eventually found a way to create moissanite in a laboratory setting. Moissanite for jewelry is created in laboratories out of silicon carbide and has a unique crystal structure that is extremely hard and gives it exceptional fire, clarity, and sparkle. The process of growing each moissanite crystal into a gemstone is difficult and time-consuming, so the eventual price tag on the stones is not cheap. It can take months to create a medium-size moissanite center stone for a pair of moissanite earrings. You will pay far less than you would for a comparable diamond, but more than you would for a fake gemstone like a CZ. This makes sense, as these are genuine gemstones created in a lab that are heirloom quality.
The Many Advantages of Moissanite Jewelry
For today’s couples, diamonds aren’t the must-have for engagement rings they were for their parents and grandparents. Couples are looking for options that are more personal and give them more options for a personal statement while being affordable, ethical, and beautiful. Moissanite engagement rings fit all of these requirements.
More Bang for Your Buck
If you’ve always dreamed of a massive, dramatic sparkler to flash in front of your friends, moissanite rings are the way to go. For a fraction of the price of a similarly sized diamond, you’ll get a stone of similar or better quality in terms of lack of inclusions, color quality, and clarity.
Exceptional Sparkle and Fire
Moissanite rings have exceptional sparkle and fire in a nearly colorless stone. They throw off a dazzling rainbow effect of refracted light you can’t find in even the most flawless diamond. Moissanite is the right stone for you if you love a ring that dazzles and dances with color under any light. They also naturally have fewer flaws.
For anyone looking for dramatic jewelry to frame the face, moissanite earrings are an excellent choice because of how they capture and refract light, add a lovely glow to the face, and add a bit of light and color to the wearer’s eyes.
Quality and Value
As with moissanite rings, it’s easier to invest in impressive show-stopping moissanite earrings because the cost is lower than diamonds, and you still get virtually flawless stones. Because moissanites are recognized by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) as fine jewelry stones, you are assured of the value of every purchase.
Durability
The only gemstone harder than moissanite is a diamond. On the Mohs hardness scale, a diamond is ten, and ruby is 9. Moissanite is 9.25. Diamonds are the only gemstone harder than moissanite. However, in terms of durability, the moissanite is even more heat resistant than a diamond, won’t become cloudy even under extreme conditions, and is less likely to fracture when struck along an edge.
Because they are beautiful and affordable, moissanite engagement rings also offer jewelry lovers the option to add coordinating moissanite earrings and other items to their jewelry collections without breaking the bank.
Moissanite – The Gemstone for the Next Millennium
In a world filled with conflict, people are increasingly reluctant to purchase gemstones when they don’t know their origins. Conflict diamonds, unsafe mining practices, use of fossil fuels, exploitive labor, and other issues contribute to ambivalence about jewelry purchases. Purchasing moissanite earrings or rings isn’t a problem, however, because these stones are created in laboratories in strictly controlled environments. They don’t have to be shipped from various countries from mining to processing to being made into jewelry, they have a minimal carbon footprint, and they don’t exploit workers. Moissanite engagement rings make both a personal and a social justice statement for today’s couples.
SuperJeweler Carries A Complete Collection of Moissanite Rings and Moissanite Earrings
Our collection of moissanite jewelry has something for every budget to ensure that you always find something that captures her heart and flashes with the unique fire and brilliance only a moissanite can display. With our incredibly low prices, you can get moissanite engagement rings with center stones of two full carats or larger for under less than $3,000. For diamond rings of the same quality, you would expect to pay tens of thousands of dollars. Our selection of moissanite earrings includes lovely styles in 14 karat yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold to compliment any outfit and work seamlessly with all your other jewelry.
When you’re wearing your moissanite gemstones and your friends ask, “Are those real?” you can confidently answer, “Yes!” Because these sparkling gemstones most certainly are the real thing in the world of precious jewelry!
